1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a baking machine for cooking batter to form ice cream cones and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For quite some time, various baking machines have been known in the art. Typical among such baking machines are those disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,117,929; 1,303,128; 1,010,619; 1,086,448; and 1,009,355.
However, such baking machines are burdened by several disadvantages. For example, prior art baking machines are not fully automated with the provision of operator actuable clutch means for selectively engaging or disengaging the motor to selectively drive or not drive a support for moving a plurality of griddles along a path through a heating zone adjacent to upper and lower heating units.
Furthermore, such machines of the prior art do not include a fully responsive control mechanism for use by the operator in starting movement of the griddles or stopping movement of the griddles. Moreover, machines of the prior art do not include a control mechanism which provides for proper meshing of the gears upon commencement of motion of the griddles.
As mentioned previously, prior art machines do not include at least one pair of burners including a top burner and a bottom burner mounted above and below the plane of movement of the griddles. In that regard, prior art arrangements do not include techniques for ensuring that gas supply to the top and bottom burners is equal, and this equal heating by the top and bottom burners, respectively, is not ensured.